Churches can be amongst the most challenging environments in which to properly set up a professional sound system. Given that the architectural variance between houses of worship is so great, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to deciding which equipment you will need and how it should be placed. To top it all off, some churches may require a versatile sound system that allows them to accommodate a variety of different speakers, performers and musical styles – anything from choirs, to soloists to full bands. It can be a real headache if you don’t know some of the ground rules to help you through the process.

One of the major issues to be found when it comes to church audio systems are unwanted echoes, reverberations and amplifications of certain frequencies caused by the large, open design of the main worship area itself. Many churches boast high ceilings with angular walls, and most of the time, these rooms are rectangular in shape. Rectangular or square, ‘boxy’ rooms have a troublesome habit of creating what are called ‘standing waves’ of sound. The waves are caused by low-frequency sound bouncing from wall to wall around a room. Standing waves can radically change the way that sound is perceived, depending on the position of the listener. Church attendees in the front row may have trouble hearing certain parts of a sermon or musical piece but others scattered throughout the room may actually be assaulted by amplified low-end frequencies which drown out the whole of the sound itself.

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